Lenoxrecently launched the Alice Drew Collage Collection filled with beautiful pieces of earthenware dinnerware hand-painted with butterflies, hummingbirds, and cottage scenes. The place settings are perfect for a summer afternoon brunch filled with strawberries and your favorite friends. In partnership with Lenox, interior designer Bella Mancini shares her top 8 secrets to adding summer to your brunch.

1. Start by Layering Textures

“Whenever I entertain buffet-style I love to mix textures and create a little tension between materials,” says Mancini. Layering different textures as a base cloth and runner adds visual interest and helps set the mood of your brunch!

2. Use Accessories for Table-Scaping

“I created a distinct area for food and drinks by using the large platter as a tray to create a foundation for the wine and water bottles, and for the food I used the tiered platters, footed bowls and tidbit plates to add varying height, silhouette and scale to the table-scape.” It’s fun to invite guests to try a whole sampling of treats in a multi-level and eye catching way!

3.Embrace Contrasts

If your dinnerware is predominately blue consider using a contrasting color for placemats or napkins, it add depth and variety to your table.

4. Add Thematic Accents

Adding handmade or personalized touches brings the tablescape to life. Monograms are particularly popular this year, try adding name cards with colored monograms makes guests feel welcome. Butterflies are really popular this year! Hand painted butterflies at each place setting can help bring your table to life!

5. Bring in Summer with Fresh Details

Certain flowers just scream ‘summer’ and champagne just screams ‘brunch’. Combine these two favorites by adding edible flowers to your champagne saucers. If editable flowers aren’t available at your local market simply add fresh raspberries or blackberries to each glass.

6. Do Something Surprising

At a brunch people usually expect to see decorative bowls and pitchers of drinks but they would be surprised to see a pitcher of fruit. Try lemons, clementines and limes for a punch of color.

7. Offer Tons of Choices

One of the great things about casual dining is that each guest can make their own choices. Offering a larger selection allows smaller portions of each item and a more colorful and interesting spread. Try adding several flavors of juice in exotic flavors like guava and passion fruit all neatly arranged in pitchers to encourage guests to make some new combinations with champagne or sparkling water!

8. Provide Thoughtful Touches

If your menu involves a buffet remember that people usually graze and may use more than one set of utensils. It’s simple to stand them in a beautiful coffee mug so that they are easily accessible and your coffee mug can match your dinnerware.

Here’s the Summer Brunch menu from Lenox:

Savories:

Individual Spinach Quiches

Prosciutto-wrapped Asparagus Tips

Salmon and Cream Cheese Pinwheels

Spring Greens Salad Vinaigrette

Grape Tomatoes on-the-stem

Mini Croissants

Sweets:

Assorted French Almond Macarons

Mini Pains Au Chocolate

Petits Fours, Meringues

Fresh Strawberries and Vanilla Whipped Cream

Beverages:

Fresh Juices: Guava, Passion Fruit, Orange

Wines: Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc

Waters: Still and Sparkling

Coffee and Tea

If you’re having a brunch don’t forget to invite your favorite ladies from Kandrac and Kole!